History of India in the 18th Century
33 Questions
0 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

The Mughal Empire began to disintegrate during the reign of its last great emperor, ______.

Aurangzeb

Aurangzeb's death in 1707 only ______ the process of disintegration of the Mughal Empire.

hastened

Aurangzeb's intolerance toward different religions made enemies of powerful regional groups like the ______.

Rajputs

After Aurangzeb's death, a war of ______ began among his three sons.

<p>succession</p> Signup and view all the answers

The rulers who succeeded Aurangzeb were largely ______ and lazy.

<p>incompetent</p> Signup and view all the answers

Bahadur Shah was already ______ years old by the time he became emperor.

<p>65</p> Signup and view all the answers

The military power of the Empire rested on the two systems devised by ______.

<p>Akbar</p> Signup and view all the answers

The weakening of the Mughal Empire made it easier for regional and ______ powers to attack.

<p>foreign</p> Signup and view all the answers

Chikka Krishna Raj created the independent kingdom of ______ at the beginning of the 18th century.

<p>Mysore</p> Signup and view all the answers

Hyder Ali was succeeded by his son ______ in 1782.

<p>Tipu Sultan</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Maratha kingdom became a major power during the ______ century.

<p>18th</p> Signup and view all the answers

Chhatrapati ______, born in 1627, was greatly inspired by his spiritual guide, Guru Randas.

<p>Shivaji</p> Signup and view all the answers

In 1737, the Maratha army defeated the Mughal forces near ______.

<p>Delhi</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Third Battle of Panipat in 1761 was a major defeat for the ______.

<p>Marathas</p> Signup and view all the answers

The term ______ refers to a type of land tax where a quarter of the total produce is demanded from farmers.

<p>chauth</p> Signup and view all the answers

Shivaji and his son Sambhaji once escaped from arrest by Aurangzeb in ______.

<p>Agra</p> Signup and view all the answers

Balaji Baji Rao, the third peshwa, made the office of the peshwa ______.

<p>hereditary</p> Signup and view all the answers

Hyder Ali defeated the British in the First ______ War in 1769.

<p>Anglo-Mysore</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Mughal Empire was further weakened by continuous foreign ______.

<p>raids</p> Signup and view all the answers

Nadir Shah, the ruler of Persia, invaded India in ______.

<p>1739</p> Signup and view all the answers

The ______ systems were military systems designed by Akbar.

<p>jagirdari</p> Signup and view all the answers

A holder of a jagir was known as a ______.

<p>jagirdar</p> Signup and view all the answers

The capital of Awadh became famous for Urdu ______.

<p>shayari</p> Signup and view all the answers

Murshid Quli Khan was the governor of ______.

<p>Bengal</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Sikhs established a powerful empire in the 18th century under ______ Singh.

<p>Ranjit</p> Signup and view all the answers

Raja Sawai Jai Singh founded the city of ______.

<p>Jaipur</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Carnatic's capital was at ______.

<p>Arcot</p> Signup and view all the answers

The ______ defeated Sirajuddaulah in the Battle of Plassey.

<p>British</p> Signup and view all the answers

Ahmad Shah Abdali's invasions dealt a deathblow to the crumbling Mughal ______.

<p>Empire</p> Signup and view all the answers

Zulfikar Ali was appointed as the nawab of the ______.

<p>Carnatic</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is known for its ______ devices.

<p>astronomical</p> Signup and view all the answers

Muhammad Shah appointed Chin Qilich Khan as the governor of the ______.

<p>Deccan</p> Signup and view all the answers

The title of the ruler of Punjab after the invasions became ______ Singh.

<p>Ranjit</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Decline of the Mughal Empire

  • The Mughal Empire began to crumble during Aurangzeb's reign, and his death in 1707 accelerated this decline.
  • Aurangzeb's policies included the reversal of religious tolerance, pushing regional powers like the Rajputs and Marathas into opposition.
  • Heavy military expenditures due to wars depleted the Mughal treasury, leading to failure in timely troop payments and morale decline.
  • Successors of Aurangzeb displayed incompetence and wastefulness, exacerbating the Empire's fall.
  • The absence of clear succession laws led to vicious internal power struggles, further weakening the empire.
  • Important Mughal rulers from Aurangzeb to Bahadur Shah Zafar include Azam Shah, Jahandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, and Muhammad Shah.

Military Weakness

  • The jagirdari and mansabdari systems, designed by Akbar, deteriorated under later Mughal rule, crippling military structure.
  • The Mughal navy and artillery were inferior to that of foreign invaders, making them vulnerable.
  • Nadir Shah's 1739 invasion and Ahmed Shah Abdali's subsequent raids severely damaged Mughal strength.

Rise of Independent States

  • The decline of the Mughal Empire facilitated the emergence of independent regional kingdoms.
  • Hyderabad: Established by Chin Qilich Khan (Nizam-ul-Mulk) in 1724, maintained semi-independence under the Asaf Jahi dynasty.
  • Awadh: Saadat Khan established semi-independence; his family ruled from Lucknow, a cultural hub before British annexation.
  • Bengal: Murshid Quli Khan became the governor and later built a prosperous region that was targeted by the British, culminating in Sirajuddaulah's defeat at the Battle of Plassey (1757).
  • Punjab: Invasions empowered Sikhs under Guru Gobind Singh, leading to a strong Sikh Empire established by Ranjit Singh after internal conflicts.
  • Rajputs: Independence of various Rajput kingdoms was declared during Mughal decline, with Raja Sawai Jai Singh founding Jaipur.
  • Rohilkhand: Established by the Rohillas under Muhammad Khan Bangash; a significant political entity until defeated by combined British and Awadh forces in 1774.

Key Kingdoms and Leaders

  • Carnatic: Established by Zulfikar Ali in 1692; became independent under Ali Khan Wallajah in 1765, later annexed by the British.
  • Mysore: Founded by Chikka Krishna Raj; Hyder Ali modernized the army and defeated the British in the First Anglo-Mysore War. His successor, Tipu Sultan, continued fighting until his death in 1799.
  • Marathas: Emerged as a dominant force under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who began conquests at age 19. By death (1680), his kingdom spanned major parts of Western India.
  • Following Shivaji, peshwas gained real power, with notable figures like Baji Rao I and Balaji Baji Rao (Nana Fadnavis) rising. Maratha expansion peaked in the 1750s.

Significance of Battles

  • The Third Battle of Panipat (1761) marked a crushing defeat for the Marathas, weakening their position and aiding British advances.
  • The battles during this period significantly shifted power dynamics and paved the way for European colonial control over India.

Cultural Heritage

  • Maharaja Sawai Singh of Jaipur significantly contributed to science, establishing astronomical observatories known as Jantar Mantar, many of which remain functional today.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Quiz Team

Description

Explore the key factors that shaped India in the 18th century, including the disintegration of the Mughal Empire, the rise of regional kingdoms like the Marathas, and the establishment of British rule. This quiz delves into the pivotal events and causes behind these historical shifts.

More Like This

Mughal Empire Decline
6 questions
Mughal Empire Decline
16 questions

Mughal Empire Decline

BalancedMothman avatar
BalancedMothman
History of India in the 18th Century
32 questions
Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Browser